Mitigation of Cognitive Bias with a Serious Game: Two Experiments Testing Feedback Timing and Source

ARTICLE

Norah Dunbar, University of California Santa Barbara, Department of Communication, Santa Barbara, California, United States
; Matthew Jensen, University of Oklahoma, Price College of Business and Center for Applied Social Research, Norman, Oklahoma, United States
; Claude Miller, Elena Bessarabova, University of Oklahoma, Department of Communication, Norman, Oklahoma, United States
; Yu-Hao Lee, University of Florida, Department of Telecommunication, Gainesville, Florida, United States
; Scott Wilson, Javier Elizondo, University of Oklahoma, K20 Center, Norman, Oklahoma, United States
; Bradley Adame, Arizona State University, Hugh Downs School of Communication, Tempe, Arizona, United States
; Joseph Valacich, University of Arizona, Eller College of Management, Tucson, Arizona, United States
; Sara Straub, Independent Researcher, Norman, Oklahoma, United States
; Judee Burgoon, University of Arizona, Eller College of Management, Tucson, Arizona, United States
; Brianna Lane, Christopher Newport University, Department of Communication, Newport News, Virginia, United States
; Cameron Piercy, University of Central Missouri, Department of Management, Warrensburg, Missouri, United States
; David Wilson, University of Nebraska-Omaha, Department of Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis, Omaha, Nebraska, United States
; Shawn King, Independent Researcher, Norman, Oklahoma, United States
; Cindy Vincent, Salem State University, Department of Communications, Salem, Massachusetts, United States
; Ryan Schuetzler, University of Arizona, Eller College of Management, Tucson, Arizona, United States

Abstract

One of the benefits of using digital games for education is that games can provide feedback for learners to assess their situation and correct their mistakes. We conducted two studies to examine the effectiveness of different feedback design (timing, duration, repeats, and feedback source) in a serious game designed to teach learners about cognitive biases. We also compared the digital game-based learning condition to a professional training video. Overall, the digital game was significantly more effective than the video condition. Longer durations and repeats improve the effects on bias-mitigation. Surprisingly, there was no significant difference between just-in-time feedback and delayed feedback, and computer-generated feedback was more effective than feedback from other players.